Filling head for bottle filling machine having valve for controlling air displacement



March 21, 1950 ROSBQls 2 01,511

L. G FILLING HEAD FOR BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE HAVING VALVE FOR CONTROLLING AIR DISPLACEMENT Filed Aug. 8, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet l March 2l, 1950 L. I sBols 2 GRO FILLING HEAD FOR BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE HAVING VALVE FOR CONTROLLING AIR DISPLACEMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 8, 1946 lun" L. G OlS March 2l, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 8, 1946 A W2 Q O. 7/ A. wd

March 21, 1950 GRosBols 2,501,511

FILLING HEAD EGR BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE HAVING VALVE FOR coNTRoLLING AIR DISPLAGEMENT Filed Aug. 8, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Mar. 21, 1950 FILLING HEAD FOR` BOTTLE FILLING MA- oHINE HAVINGr VALVE Fon CONTROL- LING AIR DIsrLAoEMENT Lucien Grosbois, Lyon, France, assigner to Societe Nouvelle des Anciens Etablissements Wenger, Paris, France, a joint-stock company rof France and Etablissements Vidus-Huet & Cie, Paris, France, a limited-liability company of France Application August 8, 1946,A Serial No. 689,255 In Francev March 2, 1944 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires March 2, 1964 4 Claims.

My invention relates to filling heads intended for filling bottles or other Vessels at equal pressures (i. ewithout difference of pressure) with a liquid containing gas under pressure, such as lemonade, soda, beer, sparkling wine, etc.

It is known that lling at equal pressures` is eiected by introducing into the vessel to be filled such a quantity of gas (generally air). that the internal pressure of the vessel is euualized with that of the reservoir containing the liquid, in such a manner that liquid can then flow from the reservoir into the lvessel by gravity in an atmosphere of practically uniform pressure.

Known lling heads of the aforesaid typegenerally comprise a liquid inlet tube, extending for a certain depth into the neck of the bottle to be lled, and an air return tube which opens into the bottle neck and discharges into the top of the liquid reservoir under pressure. Olwin-g to these two tubes the bottle is filled exactly to the level of the opening of the air return tube. The tubes are then closed and a degassing passage is opened which permits communication of the neck with the atmosphere at the expense of a certain loss of liquid and gas. The bottle is' thenremoved and rapidly closed by hand Or automatically. Means are also generally provided for emptying liquid which may have entered the air return tube and which may aiect ll'ing of the next bottle.

Good operation of such fillingl heads in dependent of the stability of the liquid in the bottle when the gaseous pressure has been suppressed. If there is produced a moderate release of gas, the los's of liquid is slight andv the bottle remains substantially at the llirig level provided and may be lcorked without dic'ulty. If on the other hand the release of gas is intensathe loss be`- comes considerable and the final level may be abnormaly low, even if corking is effected very rapidly.

In order that the liquid may be stable, it is important that the bottle walls should bel smooth and clean, and it is moreover necessary that the liquid should be quite free from air bubbles which form centers for the evolution of gas.

Known filling heads present the drawback that the Ilquid flows out in thel form of one or more jets which entrap air bubbles lwith them. This air, which is generally only eliminated slowly and incompletely, causesinstability' and, which is more serious, does not cause it in a regular and uniform manner, so that the extent of final filling of the bottles Varies within wide limi-ts. The loss of liquid. in de'gassing remains mate- (Cl. 22S-'111) rial, which is a drawback with valuable liquids such as sparkling Wines. Finally, the `liqu'idvinlet tube and the air return tube' require the provision of a vertically sliding centering device on the filling machine to guide the neck in relation to the head, which complicates the construction.vv A first object of my invention is to provide a filling head wherein the liquid owing into the bottle comes into contact lwith the wal-ls of the neck thereof and then runs smoothly along the said walls without dividing and without entrapping air bubbles.

Another object of my invention is to provide a filling head wherein the liquid flowing from the air return tube, when emptying the latter, also runsv along the walls of the-bottle. A further object of my invention is a lill-ing head comprising means to impart` to the liquid flowing into the bottle a whirling motion due to which it is discharged in the form of a substantially continuous conical film which directly reaches the neck Walls before being able to divide and to entrap` air bubbles.

Still a iurther object oflm/y invention is a filling head wherein the liquidY outlet tube and the air return tube are disposed in coaxial relation.. the air' return tube being" the inner one.

My invention also refersvto a filling head of the' above type comprising a third tube, co-axial and external to the two first, and intended to ensure air admission into the bottle, to effect equalization of pressures, and also to permit emptying of the air return tube at the beginning of the filling operation.

My improved filling head comprises no tube dipping into the bottle, which dispenses with any sliding centering device'. The' bottle' is thus filled to the edge of the neck, but during degassing there occurs a regular Withdrawal of liquid, caus ing a limited and regular lowering of the liquid level to permit corking.

My invention has also for its object a lling head of the character described, wherein all the control valves are actuated by pushers disposed in parallel relation on the same face of thev head to receive the action of a single rotating cam plate which operates them in the desired order.

In the annexed drawings: I

Fig. l is a genera-l vertical section of a llin'g head according to my invention.

Figs. 2 and 3` are sections thereof through lines II-II and III-III of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is asection through line: IWT-51V ofFig. 2.;

Fig. 5 showsr to an enlarged scale the lower partof Fig. '2.A

Fig. 6 is a fragmental section through line VI--VI of Fig. 5. f

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section of the actuating cam.

Fig. 8 is an end view of the operative face thereof.

Figs. 9 to 11 are developments of the three radial zones of the said face.

Fig. 12 is a front view of the cam driving member.

Figs. 13 to 18 are diagramsillustrating the successive steps of a filling operation.

The head illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 comprises a main body I xed on the front of a connecting body 2 itself secured under the bottom of a reservoir 3 enclosing the liquid under pressure to be introduced into the bottles. Body I is covered Eby a bell-shaped cover 4.

The base of body I has a rigid collar 5 intended to t over the neck 6 (Fig. 5) of the bottle to be filled and between collar 5 and body I there is interposed a packing I of rubber or like material to form a tight joint against the upper end of neck 6.

Ring 'I is tubular (Fig. 5) and through its bore there is passed with play a relatively short tube 8 the upper part of which is tightly xed in a central bore 9 of body I. Tube 8 itself receives a second tube I which extends higher into bore 9 to fit within a part thereof of smaller diameter. The main part of tube I I) has an external diameter smaller than the inner diameter of tube 8 to provide an intermediate annular space III between the two tubes and an intermediate annular play 9a between the said tube II) and the central bore of body I. The lower end of tube I6 fits without play within tube 8, but it is provided 'with helicoidal peripheral grooves forming a passage between space Il and the neck E of the bottle on which the filling head is iitted. The lower end of tube Il) receives a core I2 provided with a deep helicoidal groove by means of which tube I communicates with neck Fig. 6 shows the respective arrangement of tubes IG and 8 and of packing l. The various helicoidal grooves have been indicated by references Ilia and I 2a respectively according as they are provided in tube I0 or in core i2. All the grooves are disposed in the same direction. Fig. shows that tubes 8 and I come flush with the lower surface of packing 'I without extending into the inside of the bottle neck E. The material forming packing 'I has a suiicient hardness so that the swelling of the latter, when the filling head is pressed against the bottle, cannot close a passage I3 provided between the periphery of the outer tube 8 and the said packing 'I which thus plays the role of a third tube surrounding tubes 8 and Ii). A rigid ring could, if desired, be provided to reinforce to some extent the inner bore of packing 'I and to prevent abnormal expansion thereof.

The above-mentioned connecting body 2 (Figs. l and 3) is formed with a passage i4 at right angles communicating with the base of reservoir 3 by means of an opening I5 provided in the bottom of the latter, and in the path of this passage there is interposed a chamber IG enclosing a ball I'I which is normally inoperative, but which may be pressed against a suitable seat I'Ia by an abnormally strong current oi liquid. Ball I'I forms a safety valve in the case of liquid under pressure escaping freely to the atmosphere, for instance in the case of bottle breakage.

Passage I4 opens in a groove I8 cut obliquely on 4 the rear face of body I, the said groove in turn opening into a valve chamber I9 (Fig. 4) enclosing a valve 20 pressed by a spring 2| against the inlet of a passage 23 leading to another chamber 24 communicating with the annular space 9d above mentioned, that is to say in the part of the axial bore 9 of body i external to tube I0 (Fig. 5). It will be understood that chamber 24 thus communicates with the annular space I I and with thel bottle neck 6 through grooves Ia of Fig. 6.

Valve 20 may be pushed back by a pusher 25 (Fig. 4) driven through body I through a stuilng box 26, the said pusher being automatically operated by a cam, as hereinafter explained. It will be understood that by pushing pusher 25 communication is established between the base of reservoir 3 and the bottle, which permits liquid to fill the bottle if escape of air is ensured. The liquid which thus flows into the bottle by gravity assumes a whirling movement owing to grooves Ia and it is discharged into the neck in the form of a conical ilm which immediately reaches the Walls of the latter without having time to be divided and to entrap air bubbles. This nlm runs downwardly along the said walls and progressively lls the bottle.

The escape of air is ensured by the central tube Il). It has been stated that the latter communicates with the upper part of the central bore 9 of body i (Figs. 5 and 2). This bore, which is blind, communicates by a horizontal passage 21 (Figs. 2 and 3) with a passage 28 opening into a valve chamber 29 (Fig. 3) which encloses a valve 3i) pressed by a spring 3| against the outlet of the said passage 2S. A pusher 32, passed through a stuilng box 33, permits, as in the case of valve 2li above-described, of operating valve 33 against the action of spring 3|. Connecting body 2 is moreover provided with a channel 34 (Figs. 3 and l) which opens into the valve chamber 29, and, extending at right angles, discharges into the bottom of reservoir 3. But the outlet of channel 34 in reservoir 3 receives a vertical tube 35 extending to the upper part of the said reservoir to communicate with the atmosphere above the liquid.

It will be understood that the passages just described permit the air in the bottle to escape into the atmosphere of reservoir 3, thus allowing the liquid to ow into the bottle as above explained. 1

Connecting body 2 also comprises a second passage 36 similar to passage 34 above described and like it extending into reservoir 3 by a vertical tube 31 (Fig. 2). Tube 37 carries at its upper end a small chamber 38 enclosing a safety ball 39 actuated in such a manner as to operate as ball I'I above-described in order to prevent escape of gas in the case of damaged necks or of broken bottles. Passage 36 terminates in a valve chamber 40 (Fig. 3) similar to valve chamber 29 and enclosing also a valve 4I with spring 42 and actuating pusher 43 passing through a stufng box 44. The passage 45 controlled by valve 4I communicates with a vertical canal 46 (Figs. 3, 2 and 5) extending into the interior of body I and terminating in a horizontal passage 41 (Fig. 5) opening into the annular passage I3 provided between packing 1 and tube 8. This permits of putting the bottle under pressure at the beginning of the filling operation without having to use the air return passage which may enclose liquid which which would be blown and atomised into the bottle. And the liquid thus enclosed in the said air return passage may afterwards be freely discharged by gravity with the liquid recovered from the degassing operating, as will be hereinafter explained.

From the above described chamber 24 (Fig. 4)v opens a vertical passage 48 which, rising in body I, communicates with a passage y49 (Figs. 1 and 2) provided along one of the lateral walls ofthe bell-shaped cover 4. Passage 49 discharges atthe upper end of the latter, as shown in Fig. 1, in a kind of transverse groove open downwards, provided on thev internal face of the bottom of cover 4. On the opposite wall of the said cover 4 there is disposed a second passage 5U symmetrical with passage 49 and which communicates with a vertical passage 5I provided in body I. Passage 5I terminates in a valve chamber 52 (Fig. 4) enclosing a valve 53 pressed by a. spring 54 against a passage. 55 which communicates with` the outer atmosphere through another passage 56. Valve 53 is operated by a pusher 51 passing' through. a stuing box 58. The operation of pusher51 thus permits of putting the bottle in communication with the outer atmosphere (degassing operation) through an intermediate chamber (bell-shaped cover 4) adapted to recover the liquid drops blown with the gas.

From the bottom of the chamber formed by cover 4 there extends a, passage 59 (Figs. 1 and 2) terminating in a horizontal` passage 60 opening into a valve chamber 6I (Fig. 1) enclosing a valve 62 pressed by a spring 63 against the passage 69 above described and actuated by a pusher 64 passing through a stuing box 65. Valve chambervGI communicates by an oblique passage 56- withv theV upper part of the central bore 9 of body I. This passage is intended to return to the bottle any liquid recovered within cover 4 during the degassing operation of the preceding bottle.

The ve pushers 25, 32, 43, 51 and 64 extend in front of body I parallel to each other, as indicated by the section of Fig. 2, to be actuated by one and the same circular cam plate 61 (Fig. A1) loose on a pivot 58 fixed to the said body I and held in place by a nut 69. Cam 61 is integral with a four-armed star-shaped member 1U (Fig. 12). Member 10 is intended to be actuated by fingers 1I which move withy respect to the lling head (the filling head is generally mounted on a revolving base while ngers 1I are iixed butv the reverse arrangement is obviously possible). As shownl in Fig. 8, the four pushers are not located at the same radial distance from the cam center. Pusher B4 is furthest from this center. Pushers 32 and 43 are located on the same circle of less diameter. And pushers 25 and 51 are located on another cricle of still smaller radius. To these three radial distances correspond three cam proles of which Figs. 9 to 11 illustrate the development effected starting from point A of Fig. 8.

Pushers 25 and 51 cooperate with a short boss 61a which actuates the same successively and never simultaneously, one being always freed when the other begins being actuated.

Pushers 32 and 49 cooperate with an elongated boss 61o which may actuate them simultaneously.

Pusher 64 is actuated by a short boss 61e.

To explain operation of the apparatus described, reference is made to the diagrams of Figs. 12 to 18 wherein the valves have been represented by cocks with the references of the corresponding pushers in order to facilitate understanding. Reservoir 3 is shown with the oat 12 controlling escape of air or gas to permit admission of liquid under pressure from a suitable container. Tubes 8 and I0 and the annular space I'3-are figured by simple `separate tubes with the samereierences. For the sake of clear-- ness, tubes 8 and Il] are shown as dipping-slightly into the bottle although in fact, as indicated in Fig. 5, they donut dip at al1..

The operation is4 as follows:

The neck of the bottle being pressed against packing 1, cam 61 effects' its `iirst qu'arterxoi a revolution under the action of a fingery 1i (Fig. 12). Pusher 43 (Fig. 13). is actuated, which causes the interior of the bottle: toI be connected with the atmosphere. of the reservoir.. The bottle is thus put underpressure.`

In the second quarter of a revolution oi. cam 51, pushers 32 and 64 are opened (position of Fig. 14) whilepusher 43v remains open. The liquid enclosed in chamber 4Y and in the air return. tube 35v is then discharged into the bottle. It is. to be noted that this discharge is. effected through theV helicoidal groove I2a (Figs. 5 and (i) ci core I2, whereby the liquid isk caused to now in a conical nlm as above explained, and to run along the walls of the bottle without entrapping air bubbles.

Duringv the third quarter of a revolution ofy cam 61, pushers 43 and 64 close (pusher 32 remaining.

open), while '25- is opened (Fig. 15.) The bottley is thenv lled, the liquid flowing down throughtube 8 while air escapes upwardly through tubes Il) and 35. The condition-s in which this discharge of liquid is eected have already been explained and need not be further described.. Filling stops whenr the liquid llevel within the bottle reaches the lower end of tube I0, as: indi cated at B, it being noted thatY in reality this level reaches the top of the bottle neck, as clearlyv understood when` considering Fig. 5.

Duri-ng the las-t quarter of a revolution ci cam 61 pushers 25 and 32 are rst closed (Fig. 16) and then pusher 51 isopen (Fig. 17). The bottleis put in` communication with the outer atmosphere. There isthus produced a de-compression throughtube 8 and chamber 4, and the resulting sudden escape of gas blowsA a` certain quantityl of' liquid.

The levelf withinl the bottle falls tol B" while the liquid blown with the gas collects in chamber 41. Itk must be noted thatr owing to the. conditions under which iilling ist effected., the liquid within the bottle.` i'svery stable and' the decompression only affects the supercial layer thereof at the topf of the neck, and the quantity of liquid blown into chamber 4f isf very regular.

The bottle is then removed and replaced by a new one. It will be noted that at the end of the filling operation pusher 51 remains open and will only be closed during the rst quarter of a turn of cam 61 (Fig. 13). But it is evident that closing of 51 could also be provided in the position of rest, as indicated in Fig. 18.

The head described ensures such a stability of the liquid in the bottle that, even at the highest gaseous saturation pressures used in practice, the lled bottle exposed to the atmosphere gives only rise to a very moderate evolution of gas bubbles without any froth formation and consequently without any loss of liquid between the removal from the lling machine and the corking. The nal lling level B (Fig. 17) is extremely regular while with the known filling heads it varies from It will be noted that, While the helicoidal grooves appear as the best means to obtain formation of a conical liquid lm between the filling head and the walls ofthe bottle, there could be used any other equivalent disposition. For instance the head could be arranged with conical deilectors of slightly less diameter than the bottle neck. These conical or frusto-conical defiectors could also be arranged in co-axial formation to ensure the successive operations as described, and their upper surface could be provided with spiral grooves to impart a whirling movement to the flowing liquid.

I claim:

1. A iilling head for lling bottles or the like with liquid containing gas under pressure from a closed reservoir, comprising a base adapted to be tightly jointed against the upper edge of the neck of the bottle to be filled; an air return tube co-axially disposed through said base to return air from said bottle to the upper part of said reservoir, said air return tube opening substantially at the level of said base without extending downwardly into said bottle; a liquid tube disposed co-axially to said air return tube and exterior to the same to permit liquid from said reservoir to flow into said bottle by gravity, said liquid tube also opening substantially at the level of said base without extending downwardly into said bottle; a core inserted in the opening of said air return tube, said core being provided with helicoidal grooves forming a passage for a fluid; and an annular core in the opening of said liquid tube, said annular core being also provided with helicoidal grooves for liquid passage.

2. In a iilling head as claimed in claim 1, said base comprising a vertical outer tubular body with a flaring lower end; an annular member of plastic material in said outer body and in contacting relation therewith, said annular member forming the pressure equalizer tube; said liquid tube being disposed co-axial to said annular member and spaced therefrom said annular core comprising a hollow head closing the lower end of said liquid tube, said head being provided with helicoidal grooves on its periphery to afford passage for the liquid and said head forming the air return tube; and said helcoidally grooved core fitting in said hollow head.

3. A llinghead for filling bottles or the like with liquid containing a gas under pressure from -8 a closed reservoir comprising a pressure equalizer tube to connect the bottle to be filled with the upper part `of said reservoir before the filling operation proper; valve means to control said tube; a liquid tube to permit liquid from said reservoir to flow into said bottle by gravity; valve means to control said liquid tube; an air return tube connecting the upper part of said bottle with the upper part of said reservoir to permit air from said bottle to discharge into said reservoir during filling operation; valve means to control said air return tube; a degassing chamber to collect liquid blown from said bottle during degassing or said bottle; a canal to connect said degassing chamber with said liquid tube, said canal being branched between the opening of said liquid tube in said bottle and said liquid tube valve means; a canal to connect the lower part of said degassing chamber with said air return tube, said canal being branched between the opening of said air return tube in said bottle and said air return tube valve means; valve means connecting the upper part of said degassing chamber with the outer atmosphere; and automatic means to operate all said valve means in proper succession.

4. In a filling head as claimed in claim 3, said valve means embodying actuating rods projecting from said head in substantially parallel formation; and said automatic operating means comprising a flat disc rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to said rods and provided with bosses adapted for cooperation with the ends of said rods.

LUCIEN GROSBOIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

